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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · arm · branch · board · jam · bear · trunk · perch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bear — the animal
  5. branch — a division
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. board — a committee
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fall — to drop
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fall — the season
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. board — to get on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. trunk — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com